The application of a flowable confectionery to the top and sides of an iced cake or other pastry is well known in the art. Typically, the confectionery is sufficiently viscous to maintain a shape and is resistant to excessive flow or slumping after being extruded or dispensed from an associated bag or dispensing pouch. Some types of icing may tend to surface harden by reason of water evaporation after being dispensed from the pouch and, accordingly, it is desirable that the pouch and the dispensing system be substantially leak-proof to prevent evaporation of water and the resultant hardening of the contents prior to application. Typically, flexible and collapsible dispensing pouches of the type utilized for decorating cakes and cookies employ a dispensing nozzle, through which a flowable confection such as cake icing may be extruded. An example of a dispensing system is shown and described in assignee's commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/275,017, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Prior art dispensing nozzles for a dispensing pouch are adapted to receive a decorating tip either alone or with a cooperating collar or compression ring. The collar threadingly engages a threaded portion of the dispensing nozzle to hold the decorating tip in place. The flowable confection is caused to be extruded through the decorating tip by collapsing the dispensing pouch by the application of pressure thereto. The shape of the free end of the decorating tip determines the final shape of the extruded confection.
In order to create extruded designs of a different type or size, use of a different decorating tip is required. Often, this requires that a different pouch and nozzle/tip assembly be used thereby exposing the confection stored in the dispensing pouch to air, resulting in drying and surface hardening.
It would be desirable produce a nozzle and cap assembly for a dispensing pouch which accepts decorating tips of different sizes and shapes to maximize decorating efficiency.